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ScreamRide - Xbox One

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Summary:

ScreamRide features stunning high definition graphics, hundreds of customizable building components, physics-based destruction, cinematic collisions, unlockable levels, in-game leaderboards, global rankings and more. ScreamRide is the home of limitless innovation. Push the boundaries of thrill seekers everywhere. Take on your perfect role to complete each level in multiple ways. Scream seekers can prove their precise piloting skills, engineers can solve cunning construction puzzles and demolition experts can ignite the most explosive carnage possible. The path you choose is up to you.

7.1

As we get further and further into the new generation of video game players we will likely start to run into titles like 'ScreamRide'.

'ScreamRide' is a construction based simulator developed by Frontier Developments and published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox One. The game focuses primarily on the development of insane futuristic roller coasters coupled along with quite a fair bit of puzzle making. As more and more gamers grow up on games like 'Minecraft', they'll expect to have some direct control over the way that their game unfolds before them. 'ScreamRide' is an interesting twist on a genre that we only expect to become more popular. So we took our controller in hand and started building our own thrill rides. Let's see if you'll want to buy a ticket for admission.

A different experience for a new generation of gamers..

When we first read the concept to 'ScreamRide' we immediately started to ponder on all of the time we spent playing games like 'Roller Coaster Tycoon'. Our manic little minds, we were pretty young back then, focused on creating the most insane roller coasters possible. At times we'd actually manage to feel sorry for the patrons of our virtual theme park. Frontier Developments wisely focused on those nostalgic feelings and then capitalized on them. With this game you get to sit in the seat of those insane thrill coasters that you used to program yourself.

As we've talked about before, we believe that simulation games are the future of video gaming. A trip through Steam's online catalog will unveil a wide array of releases that include topics such as 'Farm Simulator' and even 'Goat Simulator'. 'ScreamRide' puts a futuristic twist on what we could also title 'Futuristic Roller Coaster Simulator'. Fortunately there is a ton of depth to this game and we have a lot to cover. Let's start off with what is essentially the 'campaign mode'.

In the career mode of the game you work as an employee at a futuristic roller coaster park. Your just is to actually test ride all of the different pre fabricated rides. This isn't a passive experience and it is definitely not what you are thinking. Rather than simply sitting along for the ride you will take the controls in hand. You maneuver the cart that you are riding in as well as control the boost and brake buttons. At first the game is pretty simple but soon the roller coasters get more complicated and you'll be challenged in what is essentially an on rails racing game.

The second mode we played on was called 'Demolition'. In this mode you don't even have to deal with roller coasters at all. Instead you are put into a map that is filled with a large amount of destructible buildings. You are in charge of a giant machine that slings cabins toward them. Taking a little bit of what made 'Angry Birds' so succesful, 'ScreamRide' changes the pace of the game. Your job is to launch your cabin towards these different battles in order to cause as much damage as possible. Aim for explosive barrels and the weakest points of the different buildings. the more you chain your destruction the more impressive the visual display and score becomes. This is so totally different than the first game mode that it feels almost like an added game.

The third mode is the 'Engineer' mode. In this mode you actually get to dig in and start building roller coasters of your own. You start out with a roller coaster that has no middle segment. Build in any direction that you wish and enjoy the insanity that comes as a result. You'll be hit with multiple different challenges that may include targeting a certain speed or length of rail. Ignore these if you want, or cash out on a hyper efficient coaster. You don't control the cart like in the first mode but this is almost more enjoyable. We loved watching our 'scream meter' fill up as riders were thrilled with the different insane builds we would come up with. This is a great mode that we think the majority of fans will spend their time on.

The final mode to look at is also the most expansive, the sandbox mode. All modern games seem like they are trying to cash in on 'sandbox' style experiences. 'ScreamRide' is no different. In the sandbox mode you are restricted to what items that you've unlocked by playing the other modes we listed above. There is a reason to play through them, after all. In this mode you can pretty much build whatever you want before sharing it with the world online. If you are someone who can't really build interesting stuff then go download custom tracks online. It reminded us of the Forge mode from the 'Halo' series and we really enjoyed it. The sandbox mode creates so much replay value and it fits so perfectly in this style of game.

'ScreamRide' in and of itself is a pretty odd experience. The graphics of the game aren't mind blowing and they don't scream 'Xbox One' when you see them. The storyline behind the career modes is rather thin, as well. Basically you are an employee at a futuristic roller coaster park and you have to choose a career path (game mode) to follow. After you do that you get unleashed on the world. That's pretty much it. Yet somehow we still managed to find ourselves glued to the television.

What we liked most about this game was the fact that it took a series of game types that could have been soulless and essentially 'mini game' like. Instead of becoming tiring distractions in a four pack of mediocrity, we got four different experiences that had their own pros and cons. If you asked a majority of gamers what their favorite mode was you'd probably get inconclusive results as they would be so varied. We liked 'ScreamRide' for what it did and loved it for how it did it.

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